Muktijuddho Moncho, which hit the headlines for attacking Ducsu VP Nurul Haque Nur and Chhatra Dal activists in the last couple of months, has current and former Chhatra League leaders at its helm.

The Moncho claims to be comprised of children of freedom fighters. It was formed in October last year to counter quota reform demonstrations and initiate protests for the reinstatement of 30 percent freedom fighters’ quota in government jobs.

Before the formation, Dhaka University’s sociology professor AKM Jamal Uddin was made the convenor of the platform’s nine-member convening committee. Asibur Rahman, son of Awami League leader and the then shipping minister Shajahan Khan, was made member secretary.

Prof Jamal was elected as a member of the DU senate from the Awami league-backed Blue Panel. He was the president of DU Kabi Jasimuddin Hall BCL between 1992 and 1994, and international affairs secretary of BCL central executive committee between 1994 and 1998.

The convening committee made Aminul Islam Bulbul the president and Al Mamun the general secretary of the Moncho’s central unit.

Bulbul is a former organising secretary of Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall BCL. He later became a vice-president of the pro-AL student body’s central unit.

He is accused in an attempted murder case filed with Gopalganj Police Station on May 3 in 2010 for allegedly hacking one Sheikh Kuddus with a machete, show the case documents.

The Moncho leader was relieved of his post at the central committee after he sought his removal in writing, said BCL sources.

Al Mamun is still the deputy programme and planning affairs secretary of the BCL central unit. Besides, he is a former deputy liberation affairs secretary of the same unit. He also held posts at the Chhatra League unit in the university’s Sir A F Rahman Hall, said BCL and Moncho sources.

General Secretary of the Moncho’s Dhaka Metropolitan North unit Sohel Miah is a vice-president of the Dhaka Metropolitan North unit BCL.

Moncho leaders Hasanur Rahman Hasu is the deputy social service affairs secretary of BCL central unit, Sonnet Mahmud is a former joint general secretary of Sir A F Rahman Hall BCL, Rabby Hasan Shawon is a member of Dhaka College BCL and Al Amin Masum a former activist of Dhaka University BCL. These four are also joint convenors of the platform.

The other joint convener, Afrina Tuli, apparently has no political affiliation.

The Moncho’s Vice-president Mohammad Shamim is an activist of Chattogram University BCL.

Besides, the platform’s Office Secretary Mehedi Hasan Shanto is a member of Bijoy Ekattor Hall BCL. Members Al Riad, Imran Sarkar, Touhidul Islam Mahim and Mahbub Hasan Niloy are activists of different BCL hall units at Dhaka University.

At least 20 top leaders of the Moncho’s different units have affiliation with Chhatra League’s politics, said sources.

In this October, the Moncho was split into two factions following an internal feud. One of the factions is led by Bulbul and Mamun.

The other faction, led by convenor Prof Jamal, on October 21 declared a seven-member committee, which also has current and former BCL leaders.

This faction’s president, Mizanur Rahman Pikul, is the deputy environment affairs secretary while Vice-president Shariful Hasan Shuvo is the president of the Law Faculty BCL at the university.

CONFLICTS WITHIN MONCHO

After the Prof Jamal-led convening body announced the central committee of the Moncho in October last year, Mehedi Hasan, son of a freedom fighter, brought allegation of financial irregularities against the teacher and claimed to be the convenor himself.

Prof Jamal refuted the allegation.

After the platform was split in two this October, one faction announced a separate committee for the Dhaka University. Bulbul and Mamun became the president and general secretary of the faction’s DU unit.

On October 10, Prof Jamal expelled Bulbul and Mamun from the organisation due to their anti-organisational activities. On the same day, the two issued a press release declaring that they were still holding the posts of the central committees.

Four days later, the two came up with a new statement saying they expelled Prof Jamal from the Moncho.

On October 20, the faction, led by Bulbul and Mamun, swooped on some Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activists at Madhur Canteen on the DU campus, leaving five JCD activists injured.

The other Moncho’s faction, led by its convener Jamal, padlocked Ducsu VP Nur’s office at the Ducsu building on December 4, demanding the VP’s resignation. They made the move after an unverified audio clip allegedly involving Nur went viral.

On December 17, at least 15 people were injured as the Bulbul-Mamun led faction carried out an attack on Nur and his supporters while they were staging protest on the DU campus against India’s NRC and Citizenship Amendment Bill. Nur and his men carried out an counterattack, leading to a clash.

Five days later, the same faction, mostly including BCL men, swooped on the Ducsu VP and his followers again. This time, the Moncho activists attacked Nur and his supporters at his office at the Ducsu building. This left 17, including Nur, injured. Some of them were being treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

On Monday, law enforcers arrested three Moncho leaders, including Mamun and Mehedi Hasan Shanto, for their alleged involvement in the attack.